Harchi in line for February return

Harchibald could have a prep race for the Cheltenham Festival on February 17 with the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran and the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton under consideration by trainer Noel Meade.

The eight-year-old is being primed for another crack at the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, a race in which he finished runner-up in 2005 but was ruled out of last year due to injury.

Meade’s charge has also missed most of this season after suffering a setback following his seasonal bow in October.

Meade said: “He is about 95% fit now but I would have had to push to get him ready for the AIG and it was looking like the ground would be too soft.

“I would like to get a race into him and I will look at the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran. But the ground there might be against him as it can get very testing in Gowran.

“The Kingwell would be another option as there are still three weeks before Cheltenham.”